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ecarroll · 08-14-2005, 08:14 AM

Thank you Tim and Tromj. I really like Chris Gekker's materials, by the way. He's one of the few teachers that really addresses articulation--focus being the most neglected of the three "F"s (also flow and flexibility). A whole new topic to save for another day!

Two little scale literacy observations, if I may. . .

I had the privilege of teaching at London's Royal Academy of Music from 1996-1999. John Wallace, as you may know, was head of brass studies then (my title was the International Chair of the same). The trumpet class at the RAM was the best, top to bottom, that I've found anyplace in the world (probably still is). The school required that all students pass a scales exam (major, minor, diminished, augmented, whole tone -- ascending/descending (or reversed), legato, detached, staccato, etc.) each year in order to graduate, and one could sense panic during the week before the exam was to be held. The few who sailed easily through it were the few that included memorized scales as part of their daily routine. These were the students, not surprisingly, that were also playing the most difficult solo and ensemble repertoire. 'Nuff said.

My friend Markus Stockhausen ( http://www.markusstockhausen.com ) joined the faculty of the final Lake Placid International Trumpet Seminar in 2003 to teach free improvisation and yoga. The 35 participants in the class included most of the "high fliers" (names that you might know) from the best North American music schools, including, as Charlie Gum commented on a new music thread in Wilmer's forum, a highschooler that absolutely knocked Tom Stevens out by playing Berio's Sequenza X.

Mr. Stockhausen's first class started with everyone sitting in a large circle and playing scales as he called them out. To his astonishment (accompanied by lots of uncomfortable looking about), only a handful of the class could play the basic scales. Most, however, could play the daylights out of the Tomasi Concerto and passages from the Mahler Symphonies. I'll leave the subsequent conversations about professional prospects to your imaginations.

Trumpet playing is the easy part, ladies and gentlemen. The art is in making sense of the music.

. . . and that said, I'll relinquish my Sunday morning pulpit. Let's keep this discussion going?

Thanks and best to you all,
EC

08-14-2005, 08:14 AM	#9 (permalink)
ecarroll Artist in Residence Forte User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: NH/CA/PQ Posts: 1,401	Thank you Tim and Tromj. I really like Chris Gekker's materials, by the way. He's one of the few teachers that really addresses articulation--focus being the most neglected of the three "F"s (also flow and flexibility). A whole new topic to save for another day! Two little scale literacy observations, if I may. . . I had the privilege of teaching at London's Royal Academy of Music from 1996-1999. John Wallace, as you may know, was head of brass studies then (my title was the International Chair of the same). The trumpet class at the RAM was the best, top to bottom, that I've found anyplace in the world (probably still is). The school required that all students pass a scales exam (major, minor, diminished, augmented, whole tone -- ascending/descending (or reversed), legato, detached, staccato, etc.) each year in order to graduate, and one could sense panic during the week before the exam was to be held. The few who sailed easily through it were the few that included memorized scales as part of their daily routine. These were the students, not surprisingly, that were also playing the most difficult solo and ensemble repertoire. 'Nuff said. My friend Markus Stockhausen ( http://www.markusstockhausen.com ) joined the faculty of the final Lake Placid International Trumpet Seminar in 2003 to teach free improvisation and yoga. The 35 participants in the class included most of the "high fliers" (names that you might know) from the best North American music schools, including, as Charlie Gum commented on a new music thread in Wilmer's forum, a highschooler that absolutely knocked Tom Stevens out by playing Berio's Sequenza X. Mr. Stockhausen's first class started with everyone sitting in a large circle and playing scales as he called them out. To his astonishment (accompanied by lots of uncomfortable looking about), only a handful of the class could play the basic scales. Most, however, could play the daylights out of the Tomasi Concerto and passages from the Mahler Symphonies. I'll leave the subsequent conversations about professional prospects to your imaginations. Trumpet playing is the easy part, ladies and gentlemen. The art is in making sense of the music. . . . and that said, I'll relinquish my Sunday morning pulpit. Let's keep this discussion going? Thanks and best to you all, EC